


Here Comes Peter Cottontail

by Zandra_Court



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Episode: s10x12 About a Boy, Feels, Gen, The Easter Bunny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-07
Updated: 2015-02-07
Packaged: 2018-03-10 22:02:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3304949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zandra_Court/pseuds/Zandra_Court
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sammy believed in the Easter Bunny, right up until the day he didn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Here Comes Peter Cottontail

_**November 21, 1994** _

"Sammy?" 

Dean was surprised his little brother wasn't sitting on the ratty, brown davenport watching Nova or some shit as he set down the two plastic grocery sacks on the small table just inside the motel room door. This one actually had two rooms and a kitchenette, which made cooking easier. Anytime Dad left them, he always put them up in a slightly bigger room. Mostly because more space meant the two boys were less likely to go stir-crazy and start rough-housing, which tended to bring unwanted attention. 

It was only after putting the milk and butter away that Dean realized Sam hadn't come out or responded. He instinctively pulled his knife out and called again. "Sammy, this ain't funny. Where are you?"

"In here," came a quiet voice.

Dean walked into the bedroom to see his brother sitting on the floor next to the bed with Dean's duffel open next to him.

"What the hell you doin' in my stuff Sammy!?" Dean demanded as loudly as he dared. 

Sam just sat quietly, his fist clearly wrapped around something. "I was looking for a pair of clean underwear. Mine haven't been washed in a few days..."

"Hey, man, I know. It's on my list of shit to do. I'm sorry. The pair you found is my last, which is fine. We can go do laundry tonight. I got quarters at the store so..." That's when Sammy opened his fist and held his hand out, palm up, resting his arm on his bent knee. Dean took a deep breath, instantly understanding. 

In Sam's palm was a small egg-shaped pad of paper and a purple gel pen. Six years ago, Dean had found them at a novelty shop in one of the small towns they visited. It'd been called a "MegaStack" and had come with the gel pen.That year, Sammy'd only been 5 and it was the first time Dad'd left them around a holiday. That Easter, Sam had woken up to find one of the notes on his pillow with a clue written on it. That led to another clue and then another. At the end of about 15 hidden clues, was a small, chocolate egg and a final note from The Easter Bunny. 

Dean had loved seeing how interested Sammy was in the puzzle hunt and he had a blast each year trying to make the clues harder and harder. He figured at some point, his little brother would figure out it was him and not a real giant rabbit. After all, it was only the following year Sam'd figured out there was no Santa Claus when he found their dad wrapping presents. But since Dad had never really done the Easter Bunny, that was Dean's myth to perpetuate.

Looking at his brother now, he seemed so much younger than he really was. Dean sat down on the bed, and then slid to the floor next to Sam. "Told ya not to go through my stuff."

"I feel like an idiot, Dean."

"Of course you're an idiot. What rabbit you ever heard of that laid eggs anyway? Surprised it took you this long."

Suddenly, Sam threw the paper and pen against the wall and shouted, "Fuck you Dean." Before he could even react, his little brother was on top of him, punching him in the ribs as hard as he could.

"Ow! What the hell, Sammy?" Dean grabbed Sam around the rib cage and shoved him back, then scrambled to his feet. Landing on his butt, Sam quickly got up and made for the hotel room door.

"Oh, no you don't." Dean took several long strides and wraped his arms around his little brother's waist, drawing him back. Sammy immediately started swinging and kicking. "Hold still you little shit."

"Lemme go you lying bastard! Lemme go."

Dean tightens one arm around Sam, holding him tight against his chest, and clenched a fist full of his hair with the other, pulling just enough to make Sam wince. "Unless you want the law on us, you need to calm the hell down right now." Sam struggled harder. Dean pulled his hair more, making Sam cry out. "I mean it Sammy. Stop this now."

The fight left his brother as quickly as it had entered and he felt his brother go limp with a strangled sob. Sam sank to his knees and just cried. 

Dean sat down on the floor next to him, wrapped his arm around the boy as best he could and let him cry for a spell.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" Sam's breathing was still rough as he wiped his eyes with his shirt sleeves.

"I don't know. I really did think you'd figure it out before now. But I had fun thinking up clues and you seemed to enjoy looking, so..."

"Is the other stuff real?" Sam shifted so he could look straight into Dean's eyes.

"What other stuff?"

"The stuff I you and Dad talk about. The ghosts and wendigos and stuff. The things Dad takes off to hunt. Is any of that even real?"

"Sammy, you know it is. Dad wouldn't take off if it wasn't. He's saving people. It's important."

"How do you know? I thought the Easter Bunny knew me and remembered me! And all of that was fake. How do you know that Dad isn't just going off to drink or find some babe and telling us all this bullshit about salting the doors and never going out just to make sure we behave? I've never seen anything Dad hunts ever. It could all be a big, fat, LIE."

"It's not, Sammy. It's all very, very real. I'm sorry about the Easter Bunny, kid, I am. But just because that ain't true doesn't mean the rest of it's a lie."

"How do you know, Dean?"

"Because I've seen it."

Sam was surprised by that. He didn't think Dad had ever taken Dean on a hunt. "When?"

"Three summers ago. We were at Uncle Bobby's for a few weeks. Remember? You got to go to baseball camp."

"I remember. Dad let me use his old glove."

Dean swallowed hard, "Yeah. Well, that was the summer Dad decided it was time for me to learn about the family business. He gave me a knife, a zippo, an' a bag of salt, and took me to an abandoned house about 60 miles north of Bobby's place. On the drive up, he told me the basics. Ghosts can't cross salt, are effected by iron, and that to vanquish them, you gotta burn their bones."

"I know that."

"Yeah, well you do now 'cause I told you numb-nuts. Back then, I didn't. We got to the house an' Dad unloaded some stuff from the trunk."

_'I'll be back tomorrow. You should be able to take care of it by then.'_

_'You're leaving? Dad, I've never done this before! You can't. I don't know what...'_

_'Quit bein' a pussy Dean. This isn't rocket science and the only way to learn is to do. This one isn't even a poltergeist.'_

_'Dad, please.'_

_'Huh. Never thought I'd raised a sissy. You scared? Should I go back and make Sammy do this instead?'_

_(quietly)'No, sir.'_

_'I can't hear you Dean.'_

_'I said, No sir.'_

"Then what?" Sam snapped Dean out of his memories.

"What nothing. I found the bones in a crawl space under the house and lit them up. Scorched my hair in the process, but it grew back. Smelled terrible."

Sam knew his brother well enough to know when the bravado was false. "What'd you see Dean?"

Dean swallowed hard and shook his head slightly. "Enough to tell you it's all real kid. Look, I'm sorry about stringing you along. It seemed to make you happy."

"It did."

"Okay then." Dean got up and walked into the kitchenette to start making dinner. Sammy knew the conversation was over, but he still hurt inside.

After dinner and the latest episode of Party of Five (Sam thought it was boring but Dean loved it), they'd washed up and gone to bed. Even when their dad wasn't there, they slept in the same bed. Until this very night, Sam had always assumed Dean had done that for his benefit. But now he wasn't so sure. After they'd turned out the lights and Dean was curled up on his belly, arms wrapped tight around his pillow, Sam decided to ask.

"Dean?"

"Go to sleep, Sammy."

"All the bad scary stuff is real."

Dean gave a sigh and turned so his face was looking at Sam. His brother was lying flat on his back, arms folded across his chest.

"Trust me Sammy, Dad and I would never lie to you about this."

"I know. It's just, if the bad things are real," Sam paused. Could he say the rest?

"Yeah?" Dean prompted.

"And the Easter Bunny isn't. There's nothing out there that is stronger than the bad guys. Is there?"

"You thought the Easter Bunny could take out ghosts and shit?"

"I thought the Easter Bunny was magic, Dean. But he's nothing. There is no good magic is there? No actual superheroes. There's just darkness and monsters and they win."

Dean reached out a hand clasped Sam's. "Of course there are heroes. That's what hunters are. We're stronger than the monsters. We're the ones who win."

"Not always," Sam looked at Dean now, their eyes meeting in the moonlight.

"Winchesters do. Already you're more knowledgable about lore than most hunters out there. And I'm strong enough to protect you. We're OK."

Sam squeezed his brother's hand. "I know. But Dean, the Easter Bunny was always clever and never scary. He was my hope that in the world of things supernatural, some of them were good."

Dean had never even considered there being any "good" supernatural beings. He'd certainly never encountered any. But seeing the sadness on his brother's face was breaking his heart.  
Remembering the figurine that their mom kept on the shelf above Sam's crib, he said, "Mom used to say there were angels watching over us."

Sam rolled onto his side. "Do you believe she was right? Are angels real?" Dean didn't, but that wasn't gonna help his brother out right now.

"Sure, why not."

"Do you think they watch us from heaven, like Mom? Or are they out there, like the ghosts?"

"Well, I've never seen one. So maybe they're all up in heaven with Mom. Or maybe they disguise themselves sometimes and come help out."

"That would explain why you've never seen one." Sam reasoned hopefully.

"S'pose so."

"That makes sense Dean. I bet there's one up there right now, watching out for us."

"Okay, Sammy. You watch out for him. Right now, I gotta sleep." Dean tucked his arms back under himself and turned away again.

"Why do you think it's a 'him' Dean? I'd have thought your angel would be a girl."

"I don't know Sammy. Shut up and go to sleep." Dean's voice tinged with annoyance.

"Good night Dean. And thank-you. For the Easter Bunny. I did like him."

"You bet Sammy. That's what big brothers are for."


End file.
